Do Sihoo waved his hand exaggeratedly, pretending that he and I are close.
He looks very lively and healthy.
It relieved me, of course, but I can’t help but be bothered for some reason.
‘Jang Namwook suffered a lot because of that guy.’
I know that it wasn’t really Do Sihoo who was the cause of that suffering but seeing his immature smile made me want to pretend that I don’t know him.
If my playable characters and classmates weren’t beside me, I would’ve ignored him.
I roughly waved in response, and Do Sihoo smiled brightly before going to the other side.
Do Sihoo headed to where the cheering squad was.
‘Oh, that’s…’
Do Sihoo tapped a military cadet, one who looked very nervous, on the shoulder and gave him a silly face.
The cadet was surprised and almost dropped his glasses because of Do Sihoo’s sudden move, and he began to nag Do Sihoo.
The cadet was Jang Namwook.
‘Jang Namwook said he won’t lose against the other team’s cheering squad.’
Due to some difficulties, there have been many exchange matches that overlapped in the schedule.
Because of that, the cheering squads for both teams were also distributed and deployed throughout the games.
The Military Academy must’ve decided to bring their best support to this game.
As Jang Namwook’s nagging went on and on, someone interrupted the two of them.
The person wearing Eungwang High’s cheering squad uniform was someone I knew very well, and as expected, my playable character looks magnificent in the white cheering squad uniform.
‘It’s Yoo Sanghee. I guess she’s here to cheer on Sanghoon.’
As soon as Yoo Sanghee arrived, the players from the Military Academy looked shocked for a moment.
The reputation of Yoo Sanghee as the best healer from Eungwang High must be well known even in the military academy.
After greeting Jang Namwook and Do Sihoo, Yoo Sanghee went back to warm up.
She briefly talked to Yoo Sanghoon, who was drinking an ionized drink.
Yoo Sanghoon had an odd expression as if he was a bit embarrassed that his real sister came to cheer on him.
‘Oh, that ugly shadow behind Yoo Sanghee is…’
The ugly shadow was, unfortunately, my playable character.
At some point, when Yoo Sanghee glanced behind her and saw Do Wonwoo, the latter made an annoying face.
Although Do Sihoo wasn’t a starting player, it wasn’t really strange that Do Wonwoo was here.
After all, he’s the president of Eungwang High’s student association.
Still, I was worried that he’d bring down Yoo Sanghee’s fighting spirit.
“I guess it’s starting soon. It’s my first time watching a sports game like this, so I’m looking forward to it.”
The countdown on the electronic display indicates that the tip-off is approaching.
Each team’s starting players lined up around the center line and shook hands with each other and the referee.
The assistant referee handed the basketball to the main referee.
As soon as the referee raised the ball in the air, cheers began to erupt in the stands.
The center players from both teams jumped high when the referee threw the ball upwards.
It was the military academy that won the ball from the tip-off.
“Ah, what a shame!”
“The two players had similar height, but it looks like the military academy’s center has the superior vertical ability.”
Kwon Lena and Mok Wooram were disappointed, but only for a very short moment.
Both teams didn’t slow down after the tip-off, and both continued to make quick attacks.
The audience members were on the edge of their seats as they cheered for their teams.
As the scores were constantly getting higher, the most notable thing was Yoo Sanghoon’s performance.
“The Vice President’s friend scored again!”
“Out of Eungwang High’s 43 points, your friend scored 33!”
As the first quarter ended and the second quarter began, the commentator constantly shouted Yoo Sanghoon’s name as he consistently scored all throughout.
Once the ball goes to Yoo Sanghoon, it goes straight to the bottom of the net.
As the gap between the scores widened significantly, the Military Academy team had to do their best to try and keep up with Yoo Sanghoon.
Soon, the center player from the military academy guarded Yoo Sanghoon, intending to overpower him with his physique.
Although they succeeded in slightly slowing down Yoo Sanghoon’s momentum, it seems like he trained in anticipation of a one-on-one situation.
Instead of giving up, Yoo Sanghoon changed his strategy.
Instead of trying to make shots inside the paint, Yoo Sanghoon chose to terrorize the three-point line and maintained his formidable scoring ability.
Just seconds before the end of the second quarter, the ball went to Yoo Sanghoon again.
“…Wait, that looks a little dangerous.”
Mok Wooram’s words gave me an ominous feeling.
The center of the military academy was a second-year cadet, but he seemed rather impatient.
Yoo Sanghoon was able to dodge the center’s defense and enter the paint, but the center quickly reached out for the ball.
Yoo Sanghoon twisted his body to avoid the defender’s hand, and he shot toward the ring.
Everyone held their breath as they witnessed the picturesque turn-around fade-away shot from Yoo Sanghoon.
Fwik!
The ball has already left Yoo Sanghoon’s hand, and the center’s elbow had nothing to hit but Yoo Sanghoon’s head.
There was no way that I would be able to hear the hitting sound in this especially noisy stadium, but it feels like the impact was too loud.
Whistle!
The referee blew the whistle to signify that Yoo Sanghoon’s buzzer-beater was counted, as well as to recognize the foul against him.
Yoo Sanghoon collapsed and couldn’t get up right away.
It seems like the injury was no small thing seeing that there are bloodstains between the referee and the players.
‘Yoo Sanghoon…!’
I wasn’t the only one worried about Yoo Sanghoon.
Do Wonwoo looked pale as he tried to stop Yoo Sanghee from going down the cheering squad’s area and running towards Yoo Sanghoon.
Instead, Do Wonwoo approached the referees himself, looking like he was negotiating with the referees to let Yoo Sanghee treat the injury.
‘I don’t think I need to intervene here.’
Thankfully, a lot of my talented playable characters were in the stadium.
* * *
It was absurd for Yoo Sanghee, who was registered in the cheering squad and not the medical team, to conduct first aid for the athletes.
However, since it was Do Wonwoo, president of Eungwang High’s student association, who negotiated with the referees, Yoo Sanghee’s intervention was approved right away.
“I will take responsibility if there’s any problem that comes up… Yes, thank you.”
Do Wonwoo appealed to the referees that Yoo Sanghee is a competitive healer and Yoo Sanghoon’s older sister.
He reiterated that he will take full responsibility if anything goes wrong.
After much consideration, the referees gave permission to Yoo Sanghee to treat the injured player.
Do Wonwoo approached Yoo Sanghee to tell her what happened, and Yoo Sanghee was looking our way with an anxious face.
The tone that Do Wonwoo used to relay the information was so loud and crass that it was hard to believe that he was the same person who calmly negotiated with the referees.
“Sanghee-ya! I got permission! Let’s go to my brother-in-law!”
“Brother-in-law? What are you talking about? Alright, I’ll go to Sanghoon. Thanks.”
Yoo Sanghee coldly responded, but Do Wonwoo was just happy to help Yoo Sanghoon and Yoo Sanghee.
While his gaze followed Yoo Sanghee, his eyes met with Do Sihoo, who was looking his way.
‘…Come to think of it, something weird happened with Sihoo.’
Before the game, Do Sihoo asked Do Wonwoo to make time after the basketball game.
— I have something to tell you about Sanghee noona.
— If it’s possible, I want to talk to you in a place where no one can see.
There’s no way though that Do Sihoo, who’s either in his home or in the military academy, would have contact with Yoo Sanghee.
Do Wonwoo thought it was indeed strange, but he recalled the guide map for the gym’s facilities just in case.
It could be that Do Sihoo is just playing a silly prank on him, but he can’t just ignore it knowing that Yoo Sanghee is mentioned.
* * *
Yoo Sanghoon was treated just in time during the break between the second and third quarters.
Yoo Sanghee used a treatment skill on him, and Yoo Sanghoon was healed in no time.
Sanghoon was fine after that, but the audience was enraged at the sight of the ace shooter bleeding.
The anger did not subside even as the center player and the coach of the military academy directly went to Eungwang High’s bench to apologize.
Jeers poured in particular into the military academy’s center player who hit Yoo Sanghoon with his elbow.
If the cheering squad hadn’t done their best to calm the crowd, they might’ve thrown some nasty objects toward the athlete.
“The military academy replaced two players.”
“The player that fouled earlier is out!”
The other kids checked the updated entry table before the second half of the game began.
The military academy replaced their center and small forward.
One of the players substituted in was someone I know.
SF Do Sihoo (Freshman).
Do Sihoo will play on the court from the third quarter.
‘They’ll probably have Do Sihoo defend Yoo Sanghoon.’
Although Do Sihoo’s physique wasn’t small, he was much less threatening than the center player that defended against Yoo Sanghoon in the previous quarters.
It seemed like they decided to make Do Sihoo play to change up the atmosphere.
Having the center substituted out would be for his own good anyway.
“Huh? Why aren’t they starting right away?”
“What’s the matter?”
I gave a brief explanation for the two of them.
“The referee declared a technical foul and awarded Yoo Sanghoon a free throw. After the free throw, Eungwang High will have the ball to start the third quarter.”
Yoo Sanghoon shot a perfect free throw as if he wasn’t injured just a few moments ago.
He raised his fist lightly at the made shot, and the audience generously cheered in response.
Once the quarter began, the military academy played a much better game than their first half.
The wide gap in the two schools’ scores was gradually decreasing.
“The new guy that entered is the one that greeted you earlier, right vice president? He’s very good at blocking.”
“Ah, he’s blocked it again!”
Yoo Sanghoon, why aren’t you overpowering Do SIhoo?!
I wanted to shout so bad seeing that Do Sihoo’s defense was almost impenetrable.
Do Sihoo has always been a good defender, and in the match between freshmen in the past, he’s blocked a lot of shots from Joo Soohyuk.
Still, Yoo Sanghoon made shots with every gap that he could find, and Eungwang High is still scoring stably.
Whistle!
Eventually, the whistle and the buzzer sounded to announce the end of the game.
By the end of the fourth quarter, the difference in points was only 10 points.
Of course, the MVP was none other than Yoo Sanghoon.
“We won! That was a close call. The gap narrowed by a lot at the last minute!”
“It was an impressive game. Vice President’s friend had a very notable performance. I’d like to watch the next game if possible.”
After applauding the basketball team and the cheering squad, the other two still kept talking about the basketball game.
As we headed back to Eungwang High, the topic changed to what dinner we should have for the night.
All three of us who went to watch the basketball game are dorm students, so it’s only natural for us to have dinner together.
Unfortunately, it’s going to be difficult for me to join them.
“Sorry, I don’t think I can have dinner with you guys tonight.”
The basketball match was very fun, but something was constantly on the back of my mind.
We had one other classmate who was supposed to watch the game with us.
“Where are you off to, vice president?”
“Euishin, where are you going?”
If I tell them that I’m going to meet Jiho, these kind-hearted kids might want to volunteer to come with me.
I decided to give an ambiguous answer.
“I just have somewhere I need to be.”
* * *
At the Hwangmyeong Mansion.
I went shopping for a while before going to the mansion, and I left White Tiger a message.
My caring playable character went out to greet me along with the adorable Olmu.
Woof woof!
The kind Olmu welcomed me even though he was upset with me last time.
As we passed through the maze garden by shuttle, I took my time to apologize several times to Olmu.
As expected, Olmu generously accepted my apologies.
When we entered the front door, Red Tiger welcomed us.
It’s unfortunate that I don’t see the descendants anywhere.
“Welcome, Jo Euishin.”
At that moment…
Dingdong.
I received a message on my device.
It turns out that White Tiger and Red Tiger also received one.
The message was from Hwang Jiho.
[Hwang Jiho] Come to the fifth floor.
